The utility and convenience of using a single or two-sided box or end wrench is well established. These wrenches can be purchased in various lengths and socket sizes and most often are designed with a straight body. However, specialized wrenches are also available that have a curved body to accommodate a particular application.
Most box and open end wrenches, because of their straight body design, are limited to being used on bolts and nuts that are accessible. When a bolt or nut is located within or near an obstruction, it is very difficult, at best, to properly place the wrench over the bolt or nut. Additionally, because of the obstruction it is even more difficult to grip the wrench so that a pushing or pulling torque can be applied to the bolt or nut at practical angular displacement strokes.
A search of the prior art, which included patents and catalog items, disclosed some two-sided and multi-angled wrenches. However none of the wrenches disclosed multi-angled wrenches that had been designed to allow a user to apply a practical and convenient pushing or pulling torque to a bolt or nut that was located near or within an obstructed area. Although none of the patents read on the claims of the instant invention, the following U.S. patents are considered related:
______________________________________ U.S. PAT. NO. INVENTOR ISSUED ______________________________________ 1,424,676 Parsons 1 August 1922 1,348,570 Knight 3 August 1920 ______________________________________
The Parsons U.S. Pat. No. 1,424,676 discloses a wrench that includes a handle having a detachable head. The head is provided with a plurality of jaws to fit different sized nuts. The handle is also adapted to be turned end-for-end on the handle to bring the various jaws, one at a time into an operative position. Preferably, two of the heads are employed, one at each end of the handle, to multiply the number of jaws of different sizes.
The Knight U.S. Pat. No. 1,348,570 discloses a valve-spring lifter wrench that includes a central flat metal section. On each side of the central section is located a slotted head which is adaptable to strattle a valve stem. The slot in one head is larger than the slot in the other head, thus permitting the heads to strattle valve stems of different diameters. Also, the central section is substantially straight while the heads are laterally offset in opposite directions. This design forms an S-shaped wrench which has an advantage over a straight wrench in that it will not interfere with the user's hands when a valve spring pin is being removed or inserted.
For background purposes and as indicative of the art to which the invention relates reference may be made to the remaining cited patents and catalog items.
______________________________________ U.S. PAT. NO. INVENTOR ISSUED ______________________________________ 3,109,334 Miranda 5 November 1963 1,639,269 Potschner 16 August 1927 31,693 Phillips 12 March 1861 ______________________________________
CATALOG ITEMS
Cummings micro-turn air compressor wrench-This specialized wrench is made in an S-shape that includes a central section with a box end wrench on each terminating end.
McMaster-Carr Supply Company 1992 catalog pages 1733-1745.